A few years ago, Kari Vollmer moved into a new house in Maine. Surrounded by lush woods, Vollmer was intrigued by the strange animal prints showing up in her yard.
Kari Vollmer
Then she saw tiny quills.
Kari Vollmer
Vollmer must have had her suspicions, but it wasn’t until a large porcupine lumbered out of the forest one day that she finally realized exactly who she was dealing with.
Kari Vollmer
At first, the porcupine, whom Vollmer named Alfred, seemed uninterested in her. They gave each other plenty of space.
But over the next few weeks, Alfred took a liking to Vollmer. He came around often — both day and night — to say hello and lounge in her yard.
Kari Vollmer
“Well, look who showed up tonight, loudly humming on my porch,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “Hello, old friend!”
She learned Alfred’s quirks, like his habit of climbing trees when the UPS driver arrived because he was scared.
Kari Vollmer
So, of course, when Vollmer spotted Alfred hobbling towards her one day, she knew something was wrong. The poor porcupine walked with a significant limp and couldn’t put weight on one of his front paws. He was injured.
Vollmer reached out to local wildlife professionals, but they couldn’t help. A virus spreading among porcupines in the shelters would put him at risk. Instead, they told her, she should feed him fresh fruits to help him heal and monitor his progress.
It didn’t take long for Vollmer to realize Alfred loved apples. He devoured them, crunching away with his giant front teeth. He gobbled up watermelon, avocado and carrots.
Kari Vollmer
Soon, Alfred showed up every day for his snack. He also learned Vollmer’s quirks, like her schedule. If she arrived home later than usual, he’d be there waiting for his treat.
Vollmer made sure to only provide one snack a day for Alfred, because she wanted to make sure he stayed wild. He wasn’t a pet; he was a neighbor.
Alfred made a full recovery thanks to Vollmer’s kindness and dedication.
“When he first showed up here, I was scared of him,” Vollmer wrote on Instagram. “I’d never seen a porcupine before … he’s become family and I enjoy his visits so much.”
If you want to follow Alfred’s adventures, you can find him on Instagram and TikTok. 
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